I would have thought Bernie would point to Canada, Britain, Australia, France etc...... they seem closer to his model....

(no I didn't read the links)

That's my point. Venezuela was already in the shitter by the time he decided to run for president.

The funny thing is that I'm not even 100% opposed against a single-payer healthcare system. I honestly don't know if it makes a huge difference cost-wise than an insurance based model.

100% subsidized education, on the other hand, is absolute garbage. Tantamount to making high school nine years instead of five years. And that's the issue I have with liberals who claim not to be socialist. Every generation wants more and only pushes you towards a more socialist model and will eventually require Brave governments to make cutbacks against programs that society has become dependent on.

Question - Is quality healthcare a right or a privilege? I think that fundamental determination may impact how far the U.S. is willing to go towards single-payer model

I view quality healthcare as a privilege. The Declaration of Independence says we have certain unalienable rights: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Don't think it mentions anything about free hospital stays or MRI's, LOL.

Rights are not about giving you something for free. They are about protecting natural liberties from those who would take them away from you.

That said, I strongly believe that that is, if not already, will soon be, a minority opinion. I would venture to guess that within the next 5 to 8 years we will be a single payer healthcare system.

When you have bacon and eggs for breakfast, the chicken makes a contribution, but the pig makes a committment